The November 13th attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead, were a grave tragedy, and exist only in the context of a greater continual process of violence and war in which France, NATO, the US and Canada have been central to such horrors. When Francois Hollande declared that “we are at war”, it was quite accurate but what had been left out, is that France has always been at war against those it seeks to oppress and dominate.

This declaration announces the establishment of a common European platform for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel. The national, regional and local organisations and movements adhering to this platform:

* Accept and promote the boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions and divestment from companies that contribute to Israel’s grave violations of international law and human rights;

* Support the call of Palestinian civil society for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) and accept the guidelines on its implementation issued by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) through the Palestine Boycott National Committee (BNC).

The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which became binding international law on Sunday, prohibits the use, production and stockpiling of the weapon, which is blamed for killing and maiming tens of thousands of civilians.

There was a Nato-Israeli exercise in progress. Well, that’s OK then. Now imagine the death of five Hamas fighters in a helicopter crash in Romania this week. We’d still be investigating this extraordinary phenomenon. Now mark you, I’m not comparing Israel and Hamas. Israel is the country that justifiably slaughtered more than 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza 19 months ago – more than 300 of them children – while the vicious, blood-sucking and terrorist Hamas killed 13 Israelis (three of them soldiers who actually shot each other by mistake).

Photo: ActiveStills Palestinian youth hurls stone during a protest against the wall.

November 2009 – Through the intermediary of its international Secretary, the National Work Confederation (Confederation Nationale du Travail or CNT), a French anti-capitalist internationalist union involved in social class struggles, has joined the campaign labeled “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the State of Israel”, an international campaign launched by more than 170 grass-root Palestinian organizations, including our partnering independent Palestinian independent unions.

BEIRUT—On Tuesday, on the third anniversary of al-Akhbar, the Lebanese daily signed a partnership with the Arabic version of Le Monde Diplomatique, a major international newspapers that has more than 70 foreign editions in 25 languages.

At a conference at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Verdun, Beirut, attended by journalists, media persons, and politicians, it was announced that the partnership gives al-Akhbar the exclusive right to distribute a monthly issue of the Arabic language Le Monde Diplomatique in Lebanon and Syria.

Israel was yesterday criticised after it refused to allow a group of doctors on a humanitarian mission organised by the French government to enter Gaza.

The team, including three British medics, was turned back by Israeli border guards on Sunday and Monday. They say their mission is purely humanitarian, aimed to helping those in medical need, and some of whom were left injured and in need of surgery after Israelâ€™s attack on Gaza earlier this year.

Photo: Carole Kerbage. Thousands in the Barbès district Paris in solidarity with Gaza.

Protests have swept the globe in response to the current Israeli attack on Gaza and thousands have taken to the streets in France this past week, including multiple demonstrations in Paris. Thousands gathered in the Barbès district Paris for a demonstration, while a major protest was staged in downtown Paris to protest the visit of Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who was hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy last week.

A special edition of World Skip the Beat, on CKUT Radio in Montreal, which explores music and song from around the world inspired by immigration, Diaspora and migration. Featuring music from all corners of the world, this special program offers unique and rare musical selections from diverse artists from Algeria, Canada, Cap Verde, Egypt, France, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Lebanon, Peru, Slovakia and Spain. A special edition of World Skip the Beat produced by Dror Warschawski.